


Better Yesterdays

by wayfindering



Series: Towards The Sun - The First Year [6]
Category: Kingdom Hearts
Genre: Cute, Fluff, Friendship, Gift, Love, M/M, Multi, Party, RikuRoku - Freeform, Sweet, mega fluff, not fleshed out but hopefully still fun, rikurokuweek, rikurokuweek2019, roxas only swears a little in this one, squint for dream eaters content, the gang's all here
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-30
Updated: 2019-08-30
Packaged: 2020-09-30 12:15:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,255
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20447009
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wayfindering/pseuds/wayfindering
Summary: In which Riku gets dragged along with the whole gang to find Roxas the perfect gift and Roxas didn't authorise this mission why are you so nice to him you jerks.





	Better Yesterdays

**Author's Note:**

> rikuroku week 2019 || day 5 prompt - gift

Riku let himself be dragged down the streets of Twilight town by a person less than half his size. It wasn't as unusual an occurrence as the Keyblade Master in him might have wished, but the boy who had never wanted to leave behind friendship when he left his childhood home sang sweet notes of appreciation in the quiet corners of his heart.

Xion had him by the hand and was tugging him to and fro past the shops, surrounded by their friends; Olette was skipping down the road just ahead of them, arms linked with Pence and Hayner on either side, thrilled to be home for a day visit; even Lea and his miniature gang trailed behind a ways, and occasionally Riku would hear Lea's yaps of laughter and Isa's low tones of amusement peppered by Ven and Terra's eerily similar snorting. Naminé had stayed behind, begging off as crowds still set her on edge, and Aqua was busy with Roxas. But everyone else was here. And Riku was...happy.

They were on a quest for the perfect gift.

"These shops don't have  _ anything _ suitable," Olette complained, dragging the boys on her arms around with her as she stopped in place and spun to face Xion and Riku. Pence and Hayner stumbled to a stop, laughing and mock-indignant at her treatment of them.

"What do you propose we do about it?" Isa chimed in from somewhere to Riku's left.

Terra and Ven stopped next to Isa and in a moment Lea's huffing joined the mingling of sounds behind Riku as he caught up with them all, joining the debate.

Xion finally released Riku's right hand for a second only to grab his arm instead. He chuckled softly at their imperiousness. They acted like he wanted to escape, but nothing could be further from the truth.

Somewhere in the span of the past few months he'd managed to reclaim some vital piece of his youth, his innocence, that he'd thought first lost in the darkness and again lost with Sora. Roxas, and eventually all of them, had brought it back to him. This time he intended to keep it, come what may.

Riku folded up that lost piece of himself, brilliant and exquisite like a tiny shard of starlight, and cradled it close to his soul.

A bittersweetness stained his thoughts then and spread out, trying to touch everything about the day:  _ Sora would like this.  _ No. That was unwelcome.  _ Sora  _ will  _ like this, when we get him back. _ Sora's heart was only flickering, not fading from Riku's. Sora was strong; they had time.

And when Sora came back, perhaps he would even be proud of Riku and the way he'd let others in at last, the way he'd reclaimed his capacity to be bright the way Sora always believed he could.

The soft beams of sunset hues that cast warm noontime shadows across the laughing faces of friends-- _ his _ friends--did not belong to the darkness of melancholy. So he would take in that darkness and spin it back to light, today and every day. His choice.

"--been up and down this row three times," Hayner was lamenting.

"Perhaps we could try another world?" Xion suggested in a hushed tone.

Riku broke in before it could go too far. "Master Aqua would personally and cheerfully murder me for taking a group of people--including two in-world civilians--to another world without prior clearance, even if it's just Hayner and Pence."

Terra snickered and Ven whispered something that sounded like  _ well I wouldn't tell _ . Xion just pouted but didn't argue; they knew he was right. Olette wasn't deterred, however, and the sudden evil glint in her emerald eyes told Riku everything he needed to know about her reputation as the terror of the apprentice program.

"Then let's stay in-world," Olette chirped sweetly. "Let's go to Carmine City!"

"Yeah!" Ven exclaimed, stepping forward. "I've been wanting to go!"

"Just like that?" Isa questioned, brows raised.

"Sure!"

"Aw man!" Lea exclaimed, dejected, his voice a sharp note of lemon candy in the afternoon bustle, sour but without bite. "You said we were only going out for a couple hours! That'll take all afternoon and evening! What if Roxas gets back from his Mark of Mastery exam before then?"

"He won't" Riku assured.

Terra affirmed and Xion nodded their agreement. As Masters themselves, they were part of the council that planned and dealt with ranking exams at the Land of Departure.

They would all be lucky if Roxas made it back before midnight, but Riku couldn't begrudge anyone the desire to throw their friend an enormous party the minute he returned; he deserved it. The chances of him failing were probably zero; everyone knew he deserved it and just the fact that he'd finally shown up to his test almost guaranteed him the Mastery.

"C'mon!" Pence said. "You'll all love it! The train ride up there is fantastic. I've only been a couple of times; it's not cheap." He grinned slyly and looked to his friend. "But now that Olette's loaded all the time, I guess our luck's about to change!"

Olette's tinkling laugh, a shiny penny on the surface, held a dangerous edge as she responded. "Oh, just wait until you hear all the ways I've dreamed up for you to pay me back!"

Pence groaned and Hayner doubled over in laughter. The three of them were ridiculous--so carefree; so different from the rest of the keyblade wielders, the rest of their friends. All of them had been through so much trauma and every spark of merriment and note of cheer was hard won by the end of every day. It got easier as time went on, but it did them all good to spend time around people for whom life's simple joy and silliness came so effortlessly.

"It's settled, then!" Xion declared and, gripping Riku's arm tighter, paraded them off to the train station.

The train ride was intense as usual--flashing scenery, rushing and clattering and clanging falling over the car like a blanket of noise, body-shaking rumbles that jerked to and fro in an unpredictable pattern that just fell short of a rhythm. Riku didn't mind; it reminded him of his first date with Roxas. He brushed his hand up against the cool glass of the window and grounded himself, entranced by the way his skin soaked in the chill. There, that was better.

Riku breathed in and out, letting the low sounds of chatter from all around wash over him, watching the glass fog up in a pattern on repeat. Xion had finally left him to go fall asleep between Lea and Ven, so he let his mind wander.

A month ago he couldn't have imagined himself here. But after what happened in the forests of Corona, Riku  _ wanted _ to be here. Not just on the train but in reality. More firmly. He didn't want to fade in and out of existence just waiting on the past to come back, no matter how important it still was.

Riku had found something important, precious even, here in the present too: a heart of quicksilver love encased in the very soul of lightning and polished to perfection with a patina of earnestness. He'd almost lost it to his foolishness, kneeling on bloodstained ground, watching as the soul of someone he loved slipped through his fingers like smoke on the wind.

So he resolved to live in the present. Enjoy what he had. Strive for more, but not  _ alone.  _ He had more than just his training and routines and missions. More than just friends forced on him. He supposed...he could enjoy it.

Spending more time with Roxas meant that Riku spent more time with their friends. In particular, Xion, Naminé, Roxas, and Riku spent most evenings on Xion's admittedly delightful large bed. They'd hang out until Xion kicked Riku and Roxas out so they could make out with Naminé, though they always blamed it on the two of them for being too cuddly or handsy or sarcastic or rude.

Movie nights, game days, outings and study sessions filled his free time and he couldn't believe how much more often he felt like himself. It was...home.

There was still a hole to be filled--two, perhaps. Everyone still danced around it, hoping that as they grew together and grew forward they could leave a space open where Sora would slot back in with the rest of them. But they didn't let that stop them from growing. Hopefully, wherever Sora was, he was doing the same.

The afternoon slid by in a blur of Xion and Lea hauling him back and forth by the arms between scattered bites of street food. The two of them seemed to think that since they were Roxas’s best friends and Riku was his boyfriend they had to come up with the best ideas and make the final decision.

It was actually Isa’s idea that won out. He stood at the back of the group as they turned down yet another street on their seemingly endless trek. He’d been watching the banter with a thoughtful expression. Riku was at ease on this world, with this group, but finely-honed instincts kept him on low alert and he always noticed when someone stopped and stared too long.

“Why don’t you give him this?” Isa said, voice low but cutting through the chatter.

“What?” Hayner said, looking around comically. They weren’t even near one of the shops, just standing on a street.

“All of you. Us,” Isa elaborated, gesturing at the group. “You’re all here because of him. He’s united you. Can’t you keyblade wielders tap into power based on your memories, or maybe it’s your relationships?”

“Oh yeah,” Pence said. “I know about that.”

Isa continued, “Roxas has become a Master; give him the strength of the people who have seen him through that journey.”

“A keychain…” Xion whispered.

“Why didn’t we think of that sooner?” Lea exclaimed. “You’re a genius, Isa!” He grabbed the blue-haired man by the shoulders and smacked a kiss to his lips. Isa tolerated it unmoving, lips pursed in a displeased way but eyes sparkling proudly.

“That’s a great idea!” Ven crowed. Hayner nodded in agreement.

“Roxas has never had one,” Xion said, eyes full of emotion. They were so much more reserved in public, even among friends. “That would be perfect.”

“Wait, he hasn’t?” Olette looked dumbfounded. “I’m still an apprentice and I’ve already had two!”

Nobody spoke for a moment, perhaps none of them sure how to answer. Riku wondered if he should have thought of a gift like this sooner, but shook the thought from his head; now was the right time for this gift, from all of them.

“He’s always had Oblivion and Oathkeeper,” Riku finally said. “They’re two of the strongest blades we’ve ever seen. Even Xion’s manifestation of the Kingdom Key requires new keyblades to access more of their strength. Roxas has never needed that.”

“I guess we never thought he’d want one for the sake of it when he had so much power at his disposal already,” Xion mused, then grinned and gripped Riku’s arm so tight it actually hurt. “But all of us together? Today? That’s an amazing idea!”

Once they had a direction, it didn’t take long to figure out what the keychain should look like. It might have been easier if Naminé had been there to do up a sketch, but they managed. Riku gave his two munny’s worth, then quirked a grin watching the lot of them sort out the details.

Olette kept all her supplies at her, Hayner, and Pence’s place in Twilight Town. With the materials they’d picked up today and a little fire-bending help from Lea she said she could make it easy before the party. Riku half-expected everyone to pile their hands in the center of the group and do some lame “All for one” cheer but perhaps that was too much to expect for a group that didn’t include Sora. He caught himself nearly giggling at the thought, however, and tucked it away safe for later.

They did, however, race back to the train station. Riku won, easing to a stop before the steps, muscles singing pleasantly from the light exercise. As was usual when he raced anyone, he turned to find the next fastest people—Terra, Olette, and Hayner—stumble up, dragging their feet and out of breath. Was he really the only one who stayed in shape like this? He tried not to grin at their distress. 

“Cheater,” Terra gasped, his hand clapping the back of Riku’s shoulder good-naturedly. “I don’t know how, but I still hold that you’re cheating.”

Riku did grin, then, though it slid down closer to a smirk. Yes, having friends again was something he could get used to.

  
  


——

  
  


Roxas thrust Oblivion into the pavement at his feet, dismissing Oathkeeper and sinking gratefully to his knees and using its grip to keep him upright. That was it—that was the last one. He was sure of it this time. A brilliant white portal sprouted in front of him and he laughed raggedly through his gasping for breath. About fucking time.

He hauled himself to his feet again and shouldered Oblivion in case this was a trap. He didn’t think so but it didn’t hurt to be cautious. Aqua might do him dirty.  _ Xion and Riku  _ might do him dirty, actually—they were on the planning council after all. And Riku probably owed Roxas payback from some snark or another.

Luckily, the trip through the portal was uneventful. No more of those rainbow assholes, the ones that looked too much like  _ him. _ It was like he’d spent the past twelve hours looking into a series of twisted funhouse mirrors.

Why did those creatures take on his shape, anyway? He would have preferred taking out just about any other enemy. They could have sent him to some heartless or something, not creepy copycats.

_ Travel to a dreamscape version of Twilight Town,  _ they said.  _ It’ll be fun,  _ they said.

But he was confident he’d succeeded. What was the point of the mission, anyway? He was still unclear. Whose dreamscape was he fighting in? Maybe he hadn’t paid enough attention. He was half-asleep standing up after Riku had dragged him out of bed and hauled him bodily into the exam room, just as he’d threatened.

Roxas stepped out into the exam room and blinked as his sight adjusted. Aqua was standing in front of him, a proud smile on her face. She reached out a hand and clasped his forearm before ruffling his hair.

“You did it, Rox!” Aqua said, voice echoing slightly off stone walls, heart shining with pride.

Roxas grinned, then. He  _ had. _ Elation ballooned in him belatedly at the words, chasing away his lingering doubts and disquiet at the world he’d just cleaned up.

He’d  _ done  _ it. He looked around but the small exam room was empty aside from the two of them. He had a sneaking suspicion why that was.

“Where’d everyone go?” he asked.

“The others are waiting out in the dining hall. Shall we?”

Roxas grinned even wider, his entire face protesting, but he couldn’t help himself. He hadn’t thought he cared much about the Mastery, and maybe he still didn’t care as much as the rest, but he felt  _ right. _ This had been a long time coming. He’d have a seat at the Masters’ council, now. He’d have a new room, too, not that he didn’t spend most nights in the Masters’ wing anyway.

He followed Aqua out to the main hall, muscles protesting but not spent. He’d sleep for a week after today. If anyone let him.

Everyone was there. Literally everyone Roxas even knew. The dining hall, luckily, was built for bigger crowds than this. But it was still overwhelming. Someone had hung up silly streamers like you’d find at a kid’s birthday party and he couldn’t even be mad.

“Roxas!” That sounded like at least four different voices at once. Roxas laughed.

He found himself passed around in a daze of hugs and shoulder-slaps and high-fives and cheek kisses. Hearts spinning and glittering with good cheer and fun. He ended up in the place he most wanted to be, though, after an entire day spent in an unexpected hellscape.

Riku’s arms came down around Roxas’s shoulders and held him tight. Roxas wrapped his own arms around Riku’s middle and burrowed into the warmth, smirking to himself when he felt Riku’s heart twinge in embarrassment at his overly public display of affection.

The comfort soothed something inside Roxas and he let go a moment later to rejoin the party. A few minutes later everything quieted and he didn’t have to be able to sense hearts to feel the anticipation in the air.

On some unspoken cue, Olette stepped forward. Roxas looked around. Everyone looked fit to burst. Naminé had her hands pressed together so tightly they vibrated. Xion was bouncing on their toes and Lea’s grin practically split his face wide open. Even Riku, arm around him to one side, looked as pleased as a cat.

Surely, no...they hadn’t gotten him something? He’d told them not to. It was enough they’d thrown him a bigger party than they’d bothered to throw Xion. In fact… Was this Xion’s idea? He was going to absolutely ruin—

“I…” he trailed off, sparks fading out of his voice. His heart was too full already. Fuck.

Olette held out a small package, green eyes going soft for him. “From all of us,” she said.

Roxas unwrapped it with shaking hands. He didn’t  _ get _ gifts. He didn’t do gifts. He wasn’t used to it and he hadn’t planned on getting used to it anytime soon.

It was...it was a work of art. A delicate wire star hung from a keychain fixing, a blue, perfectly round crystal embedded in its center that was adorned on one side with a silver X and the other with a matching silver heart outline.

It was a keyblade keychain. He’d...never had one. He’d never thought about it. If someone asked, he’d have said he didn’t need one.

But this, it had a small piece of every one of his friends in it. Everyone he loved. Everyone he’d collected. His chest was going to absolutely collapse, sweetness and gratitude pulsing from it strong enough to catch in his throat. He...fuck, he couldn’t even think.

It took Riku squeezing his shoulder lightly for Roxas to realize he wasn’t breathing, either.

“I…” he tried. “Thank you.” It was more of a whisper than a statement, but it was something.

After all these months of teasing, Roxas really should have expected the response before it came. But the gift had touched him, throwing him too far off his game. Even the bated breath, the soft snicker from Xion’s direction didn’t warn him.

“You’re so very welcome,” Riku said wickedly, _ “Master Roxas.” _

When Lea finally peeled him off the floor, still sobbing with laughter, Roxas vowed he would never use that title in vain again. Though, that might be a lie.

He really did have the best friends. And the worst. He’d pay them back someday soon.

For now, Roxas spent the rest of the party unusually subdued, content to curl into Riku’s side just clutching his star to his chest and listening to the music of the hearts whirling around him.


End file.
